Two Cobbs don't made a Right
by navigating-minds
Summary: The forces that be are at work and Jayne Cobb finds himself landed with his kid sister much to his horror. How will he cope with his new responsibility? Or more importantly WILL he?  Rated M for Adult Themes you have been warned!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**Hey, so I just re-watched Firefly and how silly of me I forgot how absolutely amazing a TV series it is! So this is my little ode to it all, based mainly on my favourite character Jayne! Some things have changed however so read carefully.**

**1) This is set after the TV series but Miranda has not come about. (Wash is alive YAY!)**

**2) Lets say Shepard Bok got dropped off on some planet somewhere...(lol slack)**

**3) Joss is Boss and owns everything! Indiana Cobb is mine however! (Apologies)**

**So it aint perfect but please read and review!**

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><p>"Jayney!" Indiana Cobb jumped up from the chair in the Happy Home for Children waiting room and ran towards the large intimidating newcomer; she'd been sitting in the same spot for little over two hours now and warned not to move by the grumpy woman behind the desk.<p>

For the last ten days she'd been staying at the Happy Home for Children agency and the place weren't nothing like its title, so when her brother finally came through the door she was more than thrilled to be leaving. Before then she'd been with her Mama until the authorities had broken into their home right in the middle of sleeping and hauled Ann-Beth Cobb away and Indiana found herself here in this dive sharing a room with at least a dozen other kids like herself, all fighting for space and food and wondering how they'd got there in the first place and just how they was gonna get out.

The pint sized Cobb threw her arms around a cargo clad leg and the owner grunted and patted the top of her head.

"Go git your bag we're leaving" Jayne waited for her to detach and run back to grab the duffel bag that held all her worldly possessions she managed to drag it halfway across the room before impatience got the better of Jayne and he walked over brushing her aside and threw the bag easily over his shoulder.

"Where we goin'?" Indiana followed past the sullen faced lady at the desk stopping momentarily at the door to give her the middle finger which brought great satisfaction.

"Serenity" Jayne grumbled pulling his hat a little more down on his head to shield the sun as they came out onto the dusty crowded street, the little girl had to squint her eyes real hard and run to catch up as her brother disappeared into the swarms of people.

"What's Serenity?" She had to yell to be heard and although Jayne did hear his mind was on other things like how he was going to explain to Mal why he weren't returning with his usual hang over, empty pockets and smelling like whores...he just hoped his captain could be a little understanding.

"Where's Ma?" Indiana grabbed on to a strap that was hanging from her duffel bag Jayne weren't listening though or just plain ole ignoring her and this annoyed the little Cobb some.

"WHERE'S MA!" She yanked with all her might on the strap and Jayne skidded to a halt nearly dropping the bag.

"Gorram it!" He turned and glared down at his little sister who was giving the same look back her arms folded tightly across her chest. "You'll end up over my knee the next time you even think about pulling that 'gin" he threatened.

"You didn't answer my question!" Indiana yelled standing her ground which startled Jayne some because usually when he got with the threatening folks tended to comply.

"Where's MA?" It was a question that wouldn't go away and Jayne dumped the duffel bag and bent down til his face was inches from hers.

"Listen you little runt do I gotta take you back to that dam orphanage?" The little Cobb grit her teeth and her big round eyes narrowed to green slits.

"I can just fine walk myself" she bent down and grabbed the strap to the bag giving her brother one last glare before turning and slowly making her way back towards the orphanage dragging the duffel bag through the dust as she went.

Jayne straightened up completely dumbfounded as he watched her go back to the place she looked so happy to be leaving. Hell he'd just spent an entire month's wages and some bribing a less than willing man to hire them to drop his cargo at an outer rim shit hole of a moon, Cassidy Nook to be exact a less than glamorous trading town where the number of whores outnumbered men .

He didn't know why he hadn't a just told Mal his Ma had been arrested and he had to go get his kid sister out of the orphanage they'd shoved her in.

Mal would of been understandin' the guy was brought up on a ranch with more brothers and sisters then he had had hot dinners, but something about the crew all knowing his own personal business bothered Jayne he didn't like showing his cards might give others the upper hand, especially when he didn't even know what was on them cards yet.

The big merc watched his kid sister drag the worn duffel bag through the crowd, it was strange how everyone just ignored her like she weren't even there hell he'd practically been doing that her entire life. She was born years after he'd up and left the shack he were raised in, his Pa had gone and died and Jayne was dam near sick of lugging crates for piss all.

So he joined a crew at just 17 and spent the next ten years out in the black doing whatever came his way and sending what he could back home for his Ma, every now and then he'd get a letter but his schooling weren't very good so he never wrote back the received coin would be enough for his Ma to know he was still alive and doing ok.

A year after he'd jumped ship to Serenity a letter came and Jayne was shocked to find his Ma had gone and had a little girl three years ago and was only just informing him now, well shocked wasn't the word it was more like downright horrifying.

He had a sister who he didn't even know existed for the past three years and suddenly she just appears out of thin air?

He learnt his Ma had gone and got herself knocked up by a fella who promised the sky but skipped out a few weeks before Indiana was born didn't even leave a note to say why or where he was going which pissed Jayne right off, just left his Ma with an extra mouth to feed. So now with every package of coin Jayne sent home a sweet was tucked in as well and he even made it home for a visit once in a blue moon the last time being bout a year back and everything looked to be normal the kid was even getting some schooling which was more than he ever received, other than those few visits Jayne didn't really know much of his sister.

Only the few times he saw her she reminded him of himself when he were little and there weren't anything savouring in that thought.

"Ruttin hell" Jayne swore loudly and stomped after Indiana who had finally disappeared from view as the crowds swelled around them and he had to push several people out of the way before finally spotting the tiny figure still dragging her worldly possessions through the dust he didn't even give her time to speak instead opting to pick her and the bag up in one swift movement throwing the bag back over his shoulder and tucking her securely under his arm avoiding her flailing arms and legs and ignoring her noisy protests and proceeded back on track towards Serenity kicking himself for not just doing this in the first place.

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><p><strong>So there it is and yea Jayne isn't all lovey-dovey big brotherly but as I said it aint perfect! :P<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**Yay I got a review! Pretty stoked!**

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><p>Malcolm Reynolds heard Jayne coming a mile away the merc was swearing up a storm and this didn't surprise Mal much although it were a little strange to see Jayne back before noon the man had up and left the second they'd unloaded earlier on in the morning and with the amount of whore houses and drink on this moon Mal was thinking Jayne would be gone for a good while yet so when he heard the merc coming it only meant one thing...he'd gone and got himself into trouble...<p>

Mal made his way down the stairs and into the cargo bay where Kaylee and Wash were lying under the Mule with a mess of tools only their feet sticking out, in the passenger lounge Simon was busy sorting through pages of notes and diagrams he'd been writing and River was sitting beside him pointing out all the mistakes that needed to be corrected she grabbed his pen and now Simon was trying to wrestle it from her before she took matters into her own hands.

Mal raised an eyebrow at the two as he passed and came to stand at the top of the ramp ready to hear what kind of situation he would have to get out of. The sun was shining brightly and he squinted as the familiar outline of Jayne came into view "Surprising to see..." Jayne stormed right past and stopped in the middle of the cargo haul dumping a bag on the ground with a thud and firmly placing a kicking, punching and biting little girl he'd been carrying on her feet in front of him.

Mal spun round not quite knowing what to say, and his pilot chimed in instead.

"Jayne are you stealing children again?" Wash and Kaylee had scrambled out from under the mule both their oil smeared faces looking just as surprised although Wash looked more bemused.

Jayne didn't answer just glared furiously down at the little girl who had her hands on her hips and was giving the same look back both of them locked into a fierce stare down.

"Now someone best be telling me what the hell is going on here" Mal looped his thumbs in his suspenders and walked casually over to the two newcomers he was trying to remain calm because the tension coming off Jayne was sizable.

"Please enlighten to me as to why there is a small child on my boat?" He stayed a few paces back studying the tiny human, she looked to be eight or nine with long mousy brown hair that was pulled back into two messy plaits her skin was brown, tanned from the sun and she had big round green eyes and a splash of freckles over her nose. By the looks of her clothing a pair of light blue slacks and matching t-shirt it looked like she'd been in some sort of institute, there was something about this little person that was oddly familiar to Mal but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Is someone gonna explain or do I have to kick you both off my ship" The non answering was starting to annoy Mal some.

Finally the smaller one broke and acknowledged the man in the too tight pants.

"I'm Indiana Cobb who are you?" she folded her arms and stuck her hip out.

"Malcolm Reynolds" The kid had guts he'd give her that "and this would be my ship you're standing in" the little girl flicked her eyes around the room then back to the captain.

"Who are they?"

"They would be..." Mal paused mid sentence and turned to the other Cobb who surprisingly hadn't had much to say "...Jayne please explain to me why there's a tiny child in my cargo haul."

There was a slight pause and Jayne ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"This here's my _mei mei_" The big man grunted and in the background Simon muttered something under his breath.

"And what is your _mei mei_ doing on my ship exactly?" Mal knew there was something familiar looking about the kid.

"Ma got arrested a little while back and Indie here got put in one of 'em orphanages, her dad up and ran out 'fore she were born and...Hell I couldn't just leave her there she's my own flesh and blood!" Jayne shrugged his shoulders in exasperation.

Mal studied the merc closely. "So I take it then our landing on Cassidy Nook the same town your sister here is hold up weren't some sort of lucky coincidence?"

A guilty look came over Jaynes face "Well...eh...I mighta paid that guy back in New Melbourne to give us the job..."

"...Right..." Mal glanced up at the catwalk where Zoe and Inara were both standing, his second in charge raised an eyebrow.

"And what exactly was your plan after rescuing your sister may I ask" Mal forced a smile which was a miracle cause all he wanted to do was yell.

"...I...I" Jayne looked round the room as though the answer were hiding somewhere.

"I gotta kin who'll take her in!" He suddenly remembered and Indiana huffed and glared up at her brother. It was his Ma's sister who had married and moved off planet to Roydon he hadn't seen her since he were a youngster and he just hoped she were still there and willing to take in his sister, hell he just hoped she was still alive.

"Me Ma's sister she's in Roydon ain't too far from here only take a few days if we push her, I-I would be mighty grateful " Jayne swallowed feeling a little nervous he didn't want ta take Indie back to the orphanage, he'd paid a great deal of money to get this far.

Mal watched his merc shift anxiously happy to let him sweat it for a little while longer he already knew there were no way he was gonna say No. He had his own brothers and sisters back home on the ranch a whole stack of 'em and there weren't nothing he wouldn't do for any of them.

"O come on Cap'n" Kaylee could no longer stay quiet she thought it were real sweet the way Jayne were helping out his little sister.

"Roydon ain't far you say?" Mal tucked his thumbs under his belt and Jayne relaxed some.

"A few days if we leave now"

The captain let out a loud breath and nodded towards Wash who really wanted to stay and watch the fun unravel but instead begrudgingly made his way upwards.

"Looks like we're cutting our stay short" Mal clapped his hands together and Kaylee squealed at the excitement of having a child onboard.

"Jayne I'll expect you'll be explaining the rules to the little one" Mal walked over to the wall and slammed his fist down on the button the ramp slowly started to come up with a whining creaks, Indiana sighed a sigh of relief for a second their she though she may have to go back to that ruttin orphanage. She spun slowly round taking a proper look at the cargo haul she'd never been inside a space ship before.

"And one more thing" Mal made his way towards the stairs.

"What?" Jayne grabbed the back of his sister's shirt noticing she was starting to drift towards the infirmary.

"She sleeps in your bunk" The captain ascended the stairs and both Jayne and Indiana groaned in unison.

"Why can't she sleep in the passenger dorms there's a spare bed in crazys room" Jayne whined and Simon shook his head at still in disbelief that Mal actually trusted the man-ape-thing-gone-wrong with a child.

"She's your sister she sleeps in with you" Mal disappeared from view along with Zoe and Jayne groaned again these were going to be the 2 longest days of his life.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

**O yea two chapters and two reviews thanks so much! Nice to know someone's reading!**

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><p>"What the ruttin hell are ya'll looking at?" Jayne slung the duffel bag over his shoulder and glared at all the faces that were looking at him.<p>

"Well aint ya gonna introduce us?" Kaylee came forward looking real bushy eyed at Indiana who was trying to pry Jayne's fingers from her shirt with no such luck.

The big man grimaced he knew that look Kaylee had in her eyes it was the kind of look she got when she found some real shiny engine part and just had a have it.

"Everyone this here's Indiana she's ma little sister" He let go of her shirt and patted the top of her head.

"That there's Kaylee she works in the engine room" He pointed to the mechanic who waved enthusiastically

"Over there's Simon he's a Doc and that there's his sister, Moonbrain"

"-It's River" Simon butted in glaring at Jayne, River was non fazed by it all she was staring completely transfixed at the little girl who suddenly come down with a case of shyness and was now staring down at her feet.

"This is the Cargo Haul over there's the infirmary and passenger dorm, Jayne gestured with a swinging arm.

"You aint allowed in neither" he added and then quickly ushered her forward towards the stairs before she could complain.

"This here's the catwalk and I better not find you up here either" he grabbed the back of her shirt again and pulled her away from the railing.

"And that there's 'Nara and that's her shuttle down there and that at the other end is the other...shuttle."

"And I'm not allowed in neither" Indiana finished off his sentence and Jayne grunted in agreement.

"Wow you're real pretty" The little girl stopped her eyes mesmerized by the companions deep red silk embroided dress she had never seen someone look so fancy before.

"Why thank you and you are very beautiful yourself" Inara smiled with all the elegance her training had taught her, Indiana blushed aint no one ever told her that in a long time, Jayne just snorted.

"What do you do?" She asked curiously and for a moment a awkwardness filled the air.

"I'm in public relations" Inara's smile never faulted and Jayne relaxed some.

"Come on runt aint got all day" He put his hand on Indiana's shoulder and quickly guided her round the companion and away from more awkward questions.

"This here's the kitchen, eating, sitting area." Indiana's eyes lit up real big when they entered this room she instantly liked it, it was nice and homely.

"Suppose you can be in here" He watched her closely as she walked round the painted yellow walls in complete awe trailing her finger along the green stencilling Kaylee had done.

"Through there's the engine room and you definitely aint allowed, _dong ma_?"

She nodded her eyes had now found the bowl of fresh produce sitting in the kitchen and her mouth watered she hadn't had proper food for a long time.

"Don't go helping yourself to the kitchen you want something to eat you wait til everyone else is eating" he warned walking through the door that lead to the bunks and ordering her to keep up.

"This here is my bunk this is where you're staying" Jayne grimaced at the thought of having to share. He pushed the door open with his foot and threw the duffel bag in, Indiana peered down completely amazed by this.

"O yea and down there's the control room" he pointed down the hall where he could see Mal and Zoe's backs.

"Can we go see!" Indiana tugged at his t-shirt excitedly she wanted to see all the buttons and the steering wheel for the ship and she wanted to look out and count all the stars.

"Girly have you not been listening to a single word i've been saying" Jayne answered sounding real annoyed.

"But it ain't fair I aint allowed nearly anywhere!" His sister stomped her foot the cheap pair of sandals that the home had issued made a slapping sound on the metal grated floor.

Jayne growled but then remembered when he was real small he had always wanted to go for a ride on his Pa's mule and his Ma had never let him even though it was more safer than crossing the road.

"Fine I'll take you later on, but only if you're good" The little girl grinned and squealed a little but this quickly ceased when the ship shuddered and rattled around some causing Indiana who'd never experienced anything quite like it before to shriek and her eyes got real wide and frightened like.

"Cut it out girly we're just taking off is all" Jayne looked at his sister as though she had grown a third eye, he ain't experienced this emotion of fear from her before and it unsettled him some, hell when someone showed fear towards him (which was more times than less) he usually just knocked 'em out or shoot 'em a little...that usually fixed that problem real quick.

"Leaving atmo now picking up a bit of turbulence should be through it soon" Wash's voice came through the intercom and the ship shuddered and lurched a little and Indiana went with it her legs turning to jelly and Jayne caught her with one arm before she could hit the deck and before he knew it her arms were round his neck real tight and her legs wrapped round his torso like she were clinging for dear life.

"Gorram it runt you ain't gonna die or nothing!" Jayne wrestled to get her off which only made her grip tighter.

" I WANT OFF! I WANT OFF!" She screamed and his ears were ringing something terrible.

"Ruttin hell you blowing out ma ear drums" He roared leaning heavily against the wall.

"Everything alright down there?" Mal's voice floated down the hall and Jayne gave him a murderous stare.

"Yea just peachy, having a great ole time down here" His voice laced with sarcasm.

"Ok well you two play nice now" Mal couldn't help himself and Jayne rolled his eyes and quickly disappeared down into his bunk.

He nearly lost his footing when he got to the bottom as Serenity lurched one more time "I WANT OFF!" Indiana buried her face into his chest and he could feel a wet patch starting to appear.

"Well it's too late now so quit ya babying" He pushed the door closed and wrenched her off and sat her on his bed.

"NOOOOOOOOO I WANNA GO HOOOOOME" She howled thumping her arms down on the blanket.

"Well you aint going home you're goin' ta stay with ya Aunt ya hear me girly?" Jayne growled down at her.

"NOOOOOO I DON'T EVEN KNOW HER! I WAAAAANT MAAMAAA!" His sister wailed hopelessly her cheeks had gone crimson red and there was tears and snot leaking from her eyes and nose.

The noise was starting to give Jayne a splitting headache "Look kid" He squatted down struggling to keep his temper in check as she continued to howl.

"Indiana Cobb now you listen to me" He put both his hands on her shoulders finally getting her attention and after a few deep breaths she managed to quiet down a little.

"Ma got arrested, _dong ma_?" her head moved up and down.

"And now she's in jail and she aint coming out for a real long time" Jayne stared her straight in the eye making sure she was listening.

"Wh-when can she come out?" Indie sniffed and sucked in a big trembling breath.

"It aint for a good long while, so til then you can go live with ya Aunt, she got a nice big ranch with plenty of space for you ta run round, better then the_ luh suh_ you been living in".

After his Pa had died his Ma could no longer afford the house so she'd moved to a tiny squalor of a place right in town, it broke Jaynes heart every time he went to visit and had to see his own kin living like that.

"I-I don't even know h-her name!" Indie broke into sobs again and Jayne rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, truth was he couldn't even remember it either, he remembered she was real nice though.

"I'm gonna wave her as soon as we're done here she's gonna be real happy to see you she aint seen ya since you was a baby" Jayne just hoped that would be the case. "She'll take good care of ya...better than Ma did" he added bitterly.

"Ca-Can't I stay with you?" Indiana managed to pull herself together again and looked pleadingly at her big brother her little hands curling round his tree trunk like arms.

"This aint no place for a child" Jayne repeated something he heard Mal say a thousand and one times.

This just caused his little sister to break down into more tears and she twisted out of his grip and crawled up the bed laying down on the pillow back facing him and curled into a little sobbing ball.

Jayne sat back and let out a tired breath there weren't nothing else he could do he weren't no miracle worker and he didn't have no experience with kids, so instead he managed to patiently sit there and wait until Indiana's sobs turned into hiccups and then into whimpers and then until they died down completely and he was certain she'd finally cried herself to sleep.

Then as quietly as he could he pulled the blanket from the wall that was covering his most prized possessions and laid it over her little body.

"Sorry girls" He whispered taking each gun off the wall with extreme care and packed them neatly into the case under his bed, he took one last loving look at Vera before closing the lid and locking it good and proper then pushed the case back under, at least he knew one thing that guns and children didn't go well together.

Indie whimpered a little and he froze praying she wouldn't wake and a few seconds later her breathing went back to normal and he let out a relieved breath.

Next he crossed the small room and opened the duffel bag curious to see what was inside he pulled out a small amount of clothing and a large brown teddy bear that had a missing eye and stuffing spilling out of its right arm.

Jayne pulled a face and dropped it on the ground, right at the bottom of the bag was an old red book which he recognized as his Ma's photo album and he pulled it out curiously and started flicking through.

There were old faded pictures of his Ma and Pa when they was young then pictures of him as a baby and kid, photos of the old house and the old mutt they used to have, he'd forgotten its name.

There were several pictures of Jayne when he'd come back to visit in every one he looked a little older, the last four pages of the album were blank and Jayne flicked through the book several times confused as to why there wasn't a single picture of Indiana, not a single one yet he remembered his Ma taking photos of him holding her every time he went home.

He closed the album and tucked it back into the bag along with the clothing, the bear he left out one of the woman on board must know how to sew he thought tucking it under his arm and pulling the door quietly open, he also had to sort out a bed, he barely even fit in his own and there were no way he was sharing with his kid sister.

Fortunately though Jayne was a problem solver and he quickly exited the bunk pulling the door closed and started off but then thought twice and went back to push the door a little open just in case...


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**Chapter Four and still chugging along! Thanks for the reviews (o yea plural) and I would just like to apologize for the horrific grammar and spelling that is probably running rampant in this here story! **

**Please Read and Review! **

**Shiny times! **

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><p>"Take it you got her settled then?" Mal was sat at the head of the table now Zoe on his left and both of them shared a smile when Jayne entered the room.<p>

Jayne just glared at them threateningly and marched straight passed to where Inara was in the kitchen brewing some tea.

The companion was about to offer the merc a cup when he thrust a teddy bear in her face and she stood back a little startled til she realized what he was holding, Mal had to bite his tongue real hard to stop himself from poking fun at Jayne.

"If you got time this needs fixin" he said gruffly and Inara took it admiring the worn soft toy and genuinely taken back with Jayne thoughtfulness.

"I'll see what I can do" She left the room and he followed making his way down to the passenger rooms.

"Where's Indiana?" Kaylee had a mess of engine parts spread out on the floor in front of her and if Mal saw it would give him a mighty headache.

"Sleeping" Jayne grunted and walked by towards Simon and River who were back sitting where they were.

"What do yo-..." Simon started to ask but Jayne walked right past and into Rivers room which caused the doc to get up real fast.

"What do you think you're doing?" He sounded rather alarmed when Jayne reappeared with the mattress from the spare bed the sheet and blankets still fitted to it under one arm and a pillow under the other.

"What does it look like I'm ruttin doin" Jayne pushed past him.

'You can't take that!" Simon reached out to grab Jayne's arm but thought better of it and quickly retracted.

"It aint like your moonbrain sisters using it now is she" he marched up the stairs

"Well you could have asked first" Simon yelled and Jayne snorted much to the doctor's annoyance.

The merc headed back to his bunk kicking the door back open and dropping the items down them jumped down after landing with a loud thud which miraculously didn't wake Indiana.

He shoved the mattress into the corner at the opposite end of his small room squishing the corners down so it fit properly, thankfully his sister weren't big for her age otherwise it would of been a squeeze.

Jayne kicked her bag over by the makeshift bed then turned towards his own Indiana had curled up further under the blanket and he frowned down at her.

There was a wet patch on his pillow that would need washing and her sandals had left smears of dirt on his covers.

"Gorram it" He grumbled and as gently as he could pulled them off and tucked her feet under the blanket he thought bout moving her but didn't want to disturb her he had quickly come to the realization that the only time he was gonna get some peace and quiet was when she was asleep and the fact that she hadn't woken while he'd been stomping round probably meant she was gonna be out for a while and that was more than shiny with Jayne.

"So how old is your sister anyway?" Wash picked some food from his teeth they'd long since finished dinner and most of it was packed away, Inara had made up a plate for Indiana who still hadn't made an appearance.

Jayne was slumped on one of the loungers in the corner half a bottle of engine brew in hand, he scratched his head trying to remember what birthday he'd been back for but came up with nothing.

"Hell I dunno" He shrugged and took another swig and Simon who was on washing up duty shook his head in dismay.

"7 years, 1 month, 3 days, 18 minutes" River spoke up pausing for a second.

"19 minutes now" she grabbed another cup from the bench and continued drying there was a moment where everyone in the room looked a little dumbfounded except Jayne who was more irritated.

"How did she know that?" Mal who was playing cards at the table looked curiously at the two Tams.

Simon sighed "It must have been when they were-"

"-I read her file, it was on the cortex " River butted in before her brother could finish.

"...o...or that" he snapped his mouth shut and River rolled her eyes at him.

"Gorram it Moonbrain keep out of my personal business" Jayne warned pointing the now nearly empty bottle at the teenager.

"Not yours" she replied and the mercs eyes narrowed right on her.

"Indiana's business is my business ya hear me" He growled and River rolled her eyes again and went back to drying duty.

"Why she in that orphanage anyhow?" Kaylee who was sitting at the other end of the lounger was now intrigued she'd been sipping her way through a large glass of engine brew herself and her eyes were starting to feel a little heavy.

"I mean aint she got a Dad?" the mechanic nudged Jayne's knee with her foot and if it were anyone else he woulda taken it clean off but he always had a soft spot for the young woman.

"He didn't stick round" Jayne slumped back in his seat kicking his feet up on the small table which groaned.

"Took off 'fore she was born" his fist tightened on the bottle.

"Well can't you take care of her?" Kaylee said brightly and Jayne nearly choked on his own spit, the mere thought of himself taking care of a kid was probably the most terrifying thing he could think of he'd rather go up against a whole army of Reavers than look after his kid sister. Hell at least with the Reavers he'd know what to do.

"O come on!" The Mechanic sat up all bushy tailed.

"She can live on Serenity with all of us we got plenty-a room!" Now she was sounding real eager and hatching a mighty fine idea which was disturbing Jayne greatly, thankfully though Mal stepped in.

"Seems the engine brew's a little stronger than usual, puttin' funny thoughts into your head" the captain slapped a few cards down on the table and Wash groaned his hand weren't too good and now he had to sweep the cargo bay and wash up for the next three days.

"It aint funny captain" Kaylee sat up a little "I think Serenity's a great place to raise kids" she smiled sweetly at Simon who went pale and nearly dropped the plate he was holding.

"Looks like Kaylee here's gone all clucky?" Jayne laughed loudly seeing Simons discomfort and happily added to it.

River grimaced at the thought of her brother and Kaylee together.

"Now don't you go getting ideas missy you get yourself in the family way you're on your own" Mal gave his mechanic a stern look who huffed loudly and took a big gulp from her glass muttering to herself.

Simon had not yet recovered and was now scrubbing furiously at a plate that was perfectly clean.

"Jayney?" A small voice floated through the room and the attention was suddenly shifted to the sleepy eyed girl who was standing in the doorway the blanket that had once concealed Jayne's most favourite of possessions still wrapped around her.

"Well look who's finally up" Mal leant back on his chair and the kid rubbed her eyes and walked over to the table seeing the cards, games were her favourite.

"Watcha playin?" She stood at the corner her eyes only just coming up over the top.

"Cards and I'm losing" Wash winked at her and she immediately took a liking to the man.

"I'm Indiana. I'm seven years old" She stated matter of factly.

"Well little lady I'm Wash and I'm much older and this here is my wife Zoe" the blonde haired man put an arm around the Amazonian looking woman sitting beside him who smiled politely at the little girl.

"Hi" Indiana said a little more shyly then made a beeline to her big brother who was trying to go unnoticed.

"I'm hungry" She stood in front of him and on cue her stomach rumbled loudly.

"There's a plate on the counter" Jayne eyed up his sister who looked wearily over to where the Tams and her food was then back at her brother.

"What are ya legs painted on girl? Go on over there and git ya dinner his patience didn't last long at all and take this to the bin while ya there" He held out his empty bottle and Kaylee wacked him in the chest nearly making him drop it.

"Hey?" He scowled at her and Indiana couldn't help but giggle. "Why'd ya do that for?" He rubbed the spot for dramatic purposes and Kaylee rolled her eyes ignoring him.

"Don't worry sweetie Doc don't bite none. And don't you let this big oaf order you bout" the mechanic smiled kindly at the seven year old who had covered her mouth with the blanket in order to smother her laughs and slowly approached the kitchen.

"Here let me help you" Simon could sense the little girls unease and he grabbed the plate from the counter and took it over to the table gesturing for her to go with him. Indiana paused for a second still unsure but the delicious aroma of real food was too much to resist and she followed him and climbed up onto one of the chairs tucking the blanket underneath her so she was high enough to eat properly.

"Here you go" Simon smiled friendly like and gave her some chopsticks and she quickly took them her cheeks turning a slight pink. He had worked with children a little when he was training on Ariel.

"Looks like someone has a crush" Kaylee said quietly to Jayne who looked rather disturbed and quickly dismissed this idea.

"Well she's definitely a Cobb" Mal raised an eyebrow as Indiana immediately started shovelling food into her mouth it had felt like forever since she'd eaten fresh tomatoes, everything on her plate looked and tasted so delicious. She didn't even mind that everyone was looking at her funny like.

"Slow down you'll make ya self sick and I aint cleaning it up" Jayne ordered from across the room and Indie slowed a little and took a big gulp of water, River had lost interest in her cleaning duties and had come to sit opposite the new comer much to Simons dismay now he'd have to finish for her.

The others in the room got back to what they were doing Jayne was arguing with Kaylee as to why he should have the rest of the engine brew she had stashed away somewhere out of sight which the mechanic was adamantly against.

"How old are ya?" Indiana looked curiously at this person across the table who could potentially be a new friend then shoved half a slice of tomato into her mouth.

"17 years, 6 months. 5 days" River immediately answered and the little girl pondered this for a moment chewing over the tasty morsel.

"Where is ya Mama and Papa?" The other half of the tomato had the same fate and disappeared into her mouth as well.

"She only has Simon now, parents cut the cord they didn't want the girl so they cast her out" The teenager replied completely void of emotion and Simon who was half listening in was immediately overcome with anger for his parents and guilt for not rescuing her earlier.

"That's ok I only got my brother now too" Indiana shrugged and smiled at River who nodded acceptingly.

"I like ya hair" The youngster looked longingly at the long dark locks that fell limply over Rivers shoulders.

"I had real long hair like yours too but Mama cut it off she said birds would come and nest in it cause it use ta get so tangled" River tilted her head to the side wrapping her finger in a few strands of her own hair calculating the likelihood of birds actually making a habitat in a person's hair coming to the conclusion that it would be less than likely.

The teenager watched the girl opposite wrestle with a particularly slippery piece of zucchini "Misses her mother, doesn't know why? She just does." Indiana's looked up her eyebrows pulled together at Rivers random mutterings and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"They came and took the little soul away, took her to a new Home she cried but no one was listening" River continued.

Indiana had suddenly lost her appetite and put her chopsticks down on the table, this person was talking about things that were far too familiar for her liking.

"Lots of noise, lots of voices all talking at once, all asking her questions she couldn't answer" River continued to talk and Indie felt the air around start to heat up as she remembered the day she had arrived at the home, the people there kept asking the same questions over and over "Where is your Pa?" "Do you have any other family members" "Where are their whereabouts". They kept asking her over and over looking down at her and she was so scared the words wouldn't come and when she cried they only got madder and louder.

The seven year old could feel her heart beat faster and her eyes start to prickle as she remembered being dragged from her home, from her Mama kicking and screaming and then left in that horrible place.

"Little soul was afraid, afraid of being alone, afraid of the dark...of what happened in the dark-"

"-River that's enough" Simon interrupted putting his hand on his sisters shoulder cutting her off; he could see the signs that things were starting to get less civilized and he didn't want River to scare the child especially seeing as she were Jayne's own blood.

The three at the other end of the table had ceased their game and were now watching Simon try to quietly lead the teenager from the room they could sense the tension in the air as the oldest Tam tried in vain to avoid causing a scene.

"No Simon!" River turned out of his grip and back towards Indiana who was looking wide eyed at the two still trying to push back the fear that was trying to claw its way to the surface, the fear that River had disturbed.

"She's not dumb like they thought she was, she knows what was happening" River's voice escalated and Simon put his arm around her shoulders trying to guide her away as peacefully as he could.

Indiana rung her hands a few times and pulled nervously at the top she had on she felt like the air was suddenly too heavy to even breath in. It was true what River was saying, when the authorities took her she heard them talking while they were cuffing her Mama and putting her in the van, they kept glancing at her whispering that she were too little to know what her Mama did, they would just say her Mama had a drinking problem and leave it at that (which wasn't a lie anyhow). But Indiana knew better she knew why they'd come to finally take her Mama, the real reason.

"Gorram it git that crazy out of here!" Jayne had had enough and was on his feet sick of watching Simon struggle and sensing his own sister's distress. Hell he was gonna kick that bone-y assed teen out with his own foot any second now if her dam brother didn't get her under control and that weren't a metaphor.

"She doesn't mean it" Simon was now dragging a loudly protesting River out with the help of Kaylee her voice could still be heard all the way down the hallway and Jayne clenched his fists real angry that that moonbrain had gone and ruined a perfectly peaceful evening yet again.

"You alright there Jayne" Mal was half turned in his seat ready to jump in if the situation had escalated any further and Jayne had made true on his words.

"Hell I dunno why you let them ruttin Tam's onboard in the first place" the merc slammed the bottle which was still in his hand down on the table with a loud bang and Indiana jumped and suddenly burst into tears, that had been the final straw and the dam burst.

"I WANT MY MAAAMAAA!" She wailed loudly her heart was hurting real bad from missing her Mama and it took too much energies to try and ignore this.

"Wuh de tyen!" Mal rubbed his ears startled that such a big noise could come from such a small person.

"Girly you're gonna wake the dead!" Jayne bellowed over the noise "I already told you ya aint gonna be seeing her" this of course only made the seven year old cry louder.

"Jayne you don't seem to be making matters any better by letting words come out of your mouth" Wash stated the obvious, and the big man in question looked around helplessly.

"I didn't sign up for this" He gestured towards the sobbing child at the table.

"Well neither did she Jayne, remember she's your responsibility so I suggest you go over there and learn a little compassion it aint gonna kill ya none." Mal ordered although he couldn't help but think that his merc maybe in slightly over his head with this one. He'd known and worked with Jayne for the past ten years and he couldn't recall ever seeing that man be anything but menacing and crude, but he knew (well hoped) that deep down there was just a little inklings of heart in the tough man. He'd seen Jayne look down the barrel of a loaded gun with not a hint of fear but right now there were the etchings of something unfamiliar in the Mercs eyes.

Jayne reluctantly approached his sister whose situation was deteriorating by the second her loud sobs were starting to sound more laboured and her thin frame was shaking uncontrollably.

"maaaamaaaa" she sounded completely exhausted and swayed wearily in her chair causing Jayne to move real fast.

"Now don't be doing that" He knelt down and put both his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Now crying ain't gonna solve nothing. What do ya want? I can't give you ya Mama and even if I could I dam well wouldn't!" He added the last part bitterly.

"B-But I-I w-want her!" Indiana cried out desperately.

"Well ya got me instead" Jayne snapped back.

"No I don't! You're just gonna leave me with some person you don't even knowed!" She suddenly had a surge of renewed energy and angrily shoved her hands into his chest as hard as she could catching him off guard and knocking him back.

"YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME!" She yelled accusingly at him and jumped off the chair and ran towards the crews bunks.

"Yea well if I didn't care bout ya then why'd I come git ya then?" Jayne scrambled up off the floor on the defensive; the other three in the room had gone dead silent.

Indiana spun round just before she got to the doorway overwhelmed with emotion. "WELL IF YOU CARED YOU WUDDA COME HOME! YOU WUDDN'T 'VE LEFT LIKE PAPA DID!"

The little girl turned to leave but paused for a second "And I know they didn't take Mama away cause she was a drunk!" The seven year old glared at her brother looking and sounding years older than she really was.

"IT'S CAUSE SHE WAS A WHORE!" There was a collective look of surprise from the table as Mal, Zoe and Wash all exchanged awkward looks suddenly feeling like they were intruding on some very personal business.

"What the hell did you say girly?" Jayne took a step forward his demeanour darkening and his voice real low.

"Everybody in the town knew it" Indiana crossed her arms staunchly tears still running down her flustered cheeks.

"And even though she's a whore she's still better than you!" They were her final words as Jayne finally cracked and launched himself towards her, Mal was barely able to leap from his chair and tackle the Merc 'fore he could reach the little girl who screamed and hot legged it out of the room.

"Get a hold of yourself!" He wrestled with the big man literally having to lie on top of him to keep him from getting up.

"Git off me Mal!" Jayne breathed heavily seeing all sorts of red.

"Don't think I'm gonna be doing that" the captain used all the strength he possessed to hold the merc down.

"She needs to be taught a lesson, can't be mouthing off like that" Jayne looked to the doorway but his sister was long gone.

"Jayne remember you're talking about a little seven year old child here she don't know no better so I suggest you start thinking real straight now. Or do I have to put you in the air lock?" Mal signalled to Zoe.

"Now you'll be sleeping out here tonight until you've got your head on right, you aint to go anywhere near Indiana in fact you aint to leave this room and that's an order"

Jayne grit his teeth biting back a string of obscenities and tried again to break free which was mighty hard doing without the use of your hands he was starting to realize he had no other option but to go along with Mal.

"Now I'll go check on Indiana and check you haven't done too much damage Zoe here will be keeping a close eye on you" Mal sat up still holding Jayne's arms against his back and not easing the hold he had.

"You shoot him if you have too" He looked to his first mate and she nodded solemnly.

"I'm gonna go make sure we're not flying into a planet" Wash jumped up and hastily left the room not wanting to get involved.

"Now does that sound reasonable to you?" It was more of a rhetorical question Mal put forth and Jayne swallowed his anger knowing it weren't getting him nowhere and he was slowly let up Zoe had her sawn-off already aimed at him and he just sneered at it and stormed over to the lounger kicking the small table out of the way and falling down onto the cushions and wiped the sheen of sweat from his brow wanting nothing more than to get numbingly drunk.

"...good" Mal didn't sound that at all as he backed out of the room still on high alert relieved that he could rely on Zoe to handle the merc, because now he had to go tend to a little person he had spoken barely two words too and hopefully he wasn't going to make matters any worse...


	5. Chapter 5

**So this is a bit pointless but so are most things so yea...**

**Read and Review!**

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><p>Mal glanced back making sure Jayne was still under control although he was more than certain that Zoe could handle the big man if he decided to lose his cool again.<p>

The door to the Mercs bunk was half open and there was light coming from inside as he got closer he could hear Indiana sniffing and hiccupping.

"It's Mal, you all right in there little one?" He stopped at the top and called down the ladder and there was a little bit of movement.

"L-Leave me alone!" She still sounded upset and angry and Mal sighed and hiked up his pants preparing to enter.

"I'm coming down" He announced and descended the ladder, it was the first time he'd been in this bunk since Jayne arrived and he looked around curious as to how the man lived.

From what he could tell his Merc lived surprisingly tidy. Everything was very orderly and organised the few things Jayne owned seemed to have a place in the room and he had a few posters on the walls mainly of half naked woman holding guns.

The only thing that looked out of place was the make shift bed on the floor that was squished into one end of the small bunk there was a small lump inside it and Mal took a seat opposite on Jayne's bed waiting to see if that lump was gonna say anything.

"You gonna stay in there for the next few days?" He finally broke the silence and there was a resounding 'yes' which pretty much ended that conversation.

"You know you're probably the only person I know that's ever upset Jayne like that" he started again. The lump sniffed a little but otherwise didn't respond.

'I mean I seen the man mad before plenty-a times in fact but I don't recall seeing him that mad, that takes a special kind of talent ya know" Mal tucked his thumbs under his suspenders.

"Yea well he deserved it!" Indiana's muffled voice finally answered back.

"He's just a big mean stupid bully!" She threw the covers back and sat up looking fiercely over at Mal who could definitely see who she got her temper from.

"Well I wouldn't argue with any of that, Jayne can be a little intimidating at the best of times but he's ya kin and ya can't be changing that no matter how much you want to sometimes"

Indie crossed her arms angrily.

"Now I know he's feeling real sorry for how he acted before and I imagine you'd be feeling a sense of guilty bout what you said to him"

The seven year old shrugged her shoulders and glared at the wall.

"...I don't" Mal weren't at all convinced by this answer.

"I-I wish he just left me th-there" she wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face trying to hide the fresh tears.

Mal watched the little girl with a sense of pity, she probably didn't have much in her life and all of that were ripped right out from under her, not to mention having a whore as a mother which had probably made for a not so normal upbringing.

He thought about his own brothers and sisters which were growed up now, he remembered when they were little they use to be thorns in his rear always following him round, wanting to do everything he did, getting in his way. But heck he wouldn't have changed that for the world, he were never lonely growing up and he always had someone to rely on or someone that relied on him. Indiana didn't have any of that.

The pity in him grew some as he watched her cry and finally it got too great to ignore and he got up and crossed the room quickly scooping her up and sitting back on the bed. She tensed up a little startled at the fact that someone was actually comforting her, aint nobody done that in a real long time, actually made an effort to be kind to her, her Ma had yelled at her whenever she cried and in the home they just plain ignored her.

Indie pressed her cheek against his shirt "H-He hates me" She whispered closing her eyes and letting out a sob.

"Now that aint true so don't go thinking he does" Mal gently scolded rubbing her back lightly

"Your brother might not seem it but I know he aint got nothing but love for ya, but you gotta remember this is all new to him and our Jayne aint the fastest learner"

"If he really loved me he wouldn't g-give me away" Indiana whimpered grabbing a fistful of shirt.

"Hey he's not giving you away now" Mal pushed her scruffy braids behind her shoulder so he could see her face.

"Listen here, Jayne just wants the best for ya, it aint safe for bringing up kids here on Serenity, you need a real home"

Indiana shook her head tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Please Mal!" She looked up at him. "Please let me stay, I'll be good I promise, I won't get in the way, I-I can be quiet I won't yell no more. I'll be good, I'll be good" she begged making the captain feel like the worst person in the entire universe.

"Now Jayne's been telling me your Aunt's been living on a mighty fine ranch, plenty of animals and space for you to be playing with" Mal embellished a little, really the merc knew that his Aunt lived on a cattle station on somewhere on Roydon but he were still waiting for the woman to wave back.

The captain had been to Roydon once and as far as Moons go the one they were heading too was on the side of respectable, which was probably why Mal had only been there once.

"And you know we'll most likely be around plenty a jobs in this verse, so Jayne will come visit you"

"D-Do ya swear you'll come visit?" She resigned in her defeat trying to salvage a wisp of hope.

"Of course darling" he promised at least the thought of that kept a little spark inside her burning.

She slumped in Mal's lap feeling like she'd been crushed by a tonne of bricks all her energies had been used up

Mal sat motionless on the bed the little body that was now snuggled into his chest had stopped admitting whimpers and her breathing had slowed til he could tell she was finally asleep.

He smoothed the top of her head and laid her gently in Jayne's bed tucking the covers tightly around her and stood a few moments looking down at her before quietly leaving.

Jayne groaned and stretched his legs out stiffly, that had been one of the most uncomfortable nights of his life and he'd slept in some pretty rough places.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and rolled onto his back just managing to keep himself from tumbling off the lounger.

He blinked a few times staring up at the ceiling waiting for the feeling to come back to his aching legs.

Something pulled at the sleeve of his t-shirt and he grunted turning his head to find Indiana standing right beside him holding a bowl of protein, how long she'd been standing there was a mystery.

"I'm sorry Jayne, I didn't mean what I said" she held the food out and he slowly sat up and took it from her.

"You poison this or something?" He held up a spoon of protein to inspect closely and the little girl shook her head.

"well...ok then" He watched her closely and started eating.

She straitened her jersey out and waited patiently.

"Hell I forgive ya, ya don't have ta dam well watch me eat" he grumbled making quick work of his breakfast.

"You don't notice anything different!" Indiana sighed exasperated with Jayne's lack of attention, he looked at her again drawing his eyebrows together.

"What? You got different clothes on...what do you want a Gorram medal..." He shrugged and lent back against the lounger the bowl scraped clean.

The seven year old rolled her eyes and pointed to her hair which of this morning thanks to Inara's doing had been washed and cut neatly just below her ears.

"Now why'd you go cutting all ya hair off for?" Realization hit Jayne and he put his bowl on the floor between his feet.

"'Nara did!" Indiana spun round she was wearing black leggings, combat boots and a long sleeved jersey thing that Jayne couldn't figure out, but it reminded him of River some and that was disturbing enough.

"And she fixed my teddy!" the little girl smiled happily and plonked herself next to him.

He shifted over creating a little space between them "Where's everyone at anyhow?" He noticed the distinct lack of people in the room...and the growing awkwardness...

"They were here before but you was snoring too loudly" Indiana giggled.

"And Mal said not to wake you cause you'd be all grumpy kinda what you look like now" she poked his arm smiling ear to ear.

Jayne narrowed his eyes and pushed himself up, it was only the start of the day and he was already fed up with babysitting.

"Where ya goin?" Indiana was quickly behind him as he stomped towards his bunk.

"You gonna follow me round like a bad smell?" the big man stopped at his hatch.

"Mal said you gots to look after me" She crossed her arms in a matter-of-fact way.

Jayne groaned "I aint no ruttin'babysitter" then an idea came into his head and he knew exactly how he was gonna fix this problem.

"DOC? DOC?"

Simon poked his head out of the infirmary door his body following when he saw the source of the racket.

"Is there a problem" He met Jayne at the bottom of the stairs the merc turned and picked up Indiana depositing her in front of him.

"Yea I need ya ta watch her got important business that needs doing" He patted his sisters head and she hit his hand away and smoothed down her hair.

Simon looked down at the seven year old who smiled sweetly up at him, Jayne took the prolonged non answering as a yes and wacked the doc on the arm making him stumble back a few steps.

"Thanks Doc" He was halfway up the stairs before Simon could even blink and the neatly groomed man watched the merc leave completely speechless.

"So ummm..." His eyes flicked down at the little girl who was looking up at him real excited.

"Where's River?"

She asked curiously looking around him to the infirmary where'd he'd just come from.

"She's in her room asleep she wasn't feeling well" He straightened his cuffs and Indiana rocked back and forth on her heels.

"What were you doing in there?" She pointed to the room he'd come from.

"O umm stock take" Simon racked his brain for activities to do with a seven year old child, that she may actually find fun.

"I can help!" she skipped passed him towards the infirmary and Simon had to turn real quick to catch up, all his plans for the day were definitely off.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okely-Dokely! So here is another sweet little piece, and in the next few chapters there might be some actual plot...ha!**

**I feel quite indecisive at the moment, probably because I can't help reading these fantastic Firefly Fics that keep altering my plans and sprouting different ideas in my head! So many roads I want to go down just have to choose the right one! (Story of my life!)**

**So Yes, Indeed the course of this story is still unknown but it will come to me soon...soon...**

**So please Read and Review!**

**Cheers Monkeys! :P**

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><p>"And did you know that our heart beats about one hundreds of thousands of times a day, and our bones are as strong as steel is and there are 206 bones in our bodies and there are 52 bones in our feet and 54 bones in our hands" Indiana sat at the table holding her own hand up to her face studying each finger.<p>

"Is that so little one?" Mal raised an eyebrow to show is keen interest which only spurred her on further.

"Yup and our brains are made of 75 percent of water and the human body can be drained of blood in less than 8 seconds!" The seven year old continued and the others around the table listened politely with the exception of Jayne who was sitting beside her trying to eat his meal in peace and getting more annoyed by the second.

"And did you know our brains only weighs three pounds an-"

"-Gorram it girly you've been yakking on since we bout sat down, give it a rest would ya!" Jayne interrupted finally fed up.

"Now start eating ya food 'fore I eat it" He picked up her chopsticks and stuck them in her hand.

"Doc you been filling her head with all this nonsense?" The merc then turned his attention to the man sitting opposite.

"No River told me!" Indiana piped up and the others knew this wasn't going to end pretty.

"You let that moonbrain put her garbage in my sister's head!" Jayne glared at the oldest Tam who finished his mouthful before answering.

"I didn't let River do anything and it's not garbage, she's a child she's just curious, learning new things isn't a bad thing. It helps keep her mind stimulated" He replied calmly not wanting another argument. In fact he'd enjoyed the day they'd spent together the little girl after some persuasion had actually taken a liking to River and vice versa which was always nice to see.

"Yea well the runt shouldn't be learning anything from your crazy brained sister, I'll be doing the teaching!" Jayne pointed his chopsticks threateningly across the table, and Simon was overcome with horror at the thought of the poorly-trained-ape-thing actually passing on knowledge to Indiana whom he thought of as very intelligent for a seven year old well beyond her years.

"Now now children" Mal interrupted the fierce staring battle that was now going on.

"If you want I can shoot the big one sir?" Zoe offered a small smile on her face and Jayne flicked his eyes towards the woman at the other end of the table opening his mouth to say something but on second thought decided against it and gave the Tams one last glare before focusing back on his meal.

"I aint a runt" Indiana mumbled from beside him and Jayne glanced down at her stabbing his chopstick through a dumpling she'd been trying to pick up and popping it into his mouth.

"You are too, hell you wouldn't even make a good toothpick" He replied mouth full and Kaylee who was sitting on the other side of him wacked his arm.

"Woman if ya wanna keep touching me like that we're gonna have to move this to my bunk!" He leered at her suggestively and received a sharp kick in the shins from Simon, the mechanic just brushed it off and continued with her food used to Jayne's advances and knowing he was completely harmless she was however pleasantly excited by the fact that the Doctor had defended her some.

"Jayne do I have to remind you to use your big boy manners when we're at the table" Mal eyed the merc up his eyes flicking to Indiana who was waiting patiently for Inara, who was chopping up her dumplings making it a little easier to eat.

"Especially with young impressionable minds around, that might god forbid start repeating what falls outta your mouth" Mal added to make it clearer.

Jayne just rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, he just couldn't catch a break.

"How long til we're on Roydon anyhow?" Mal changed the subject turning to his pilot.

"I got her on a course that should see us touching down in bout 24 hours, gonna need to stop off and refuel though, been pushing the thrusters a bit hard." Wash brought news he just didn't want to be hearing.

"Grayson's nearby we can doc there early tomorrow morning it will only push us back a few hours at the most"

"As long as we get there in one piece" Mal lent back on his chair a toothpick hanging lazily from the side of his mouth.

"You hear back from ya kin then? I don't wanna be travelling all this way to nothing" He eyed up Jayne again.

"Yea she's happy enough taking the runt in, got herself a nice piece of land, been making good with it"

Indiana looked glumly at her food suddenly it didn't look very appetising now, she was hoping that her Ma's sister didn't wanna take her in and she'd get to stay on Serenity, she'd hadn't been aboard for very long but already it felt like home.

"Can we see the stars tonight then?" She turned to her big brother who sat for a moment contemplating his answer.

"Plllleeaase" She clasped her hands together and he pushed his chair back and stretched his legs out under the table.

"You eat ya food and I'll think bout it" he grumbled reluctantly

The seven year old lit up at least she had something to look forward to and quickly turned back to her plate stuffing a dumpling into her mouth which brought another telling off from Jayne.

"No! Then the T-Rex eats him!"

"What about peaceful negotiations?" Indiana looked up at the blonde haired man who was holding a much smaller plastic figurine in his hand hoping to save his dinosaur from impending doom.

"No." she replied rather bluntly and held her hand out and Wash reluctantly handed his stegosaurus over and it was added to the small pile of dinosaurs that was accumulating on the control panel next to the seven year old.

"Ahhh but I still have my Pterodactyl" Wash pulled his emergency back-up figurine from his shirt pocket "which has miraculously escaped the impending doom and will now live a long yet somewhat lonesome life in space" The pilot held his last dinosaur up high in the air out of reach from Indiana who was standing on her tippy toes trying to reach it.

Jayne was sitting over in the co-pilots chair he'd found the bottle of engine brew Kaylee had been trying to hide from him and was nearly halfway through it.

"Gorram it!" He watched the two with annoyance.

"Girly you been harassing me since ya got 'ere ta see the ruttin stars an' all you've done is play with 'em ruttin things" He kicked his feet up and lent back on his chair looking less than impressed.

"Aww is someone feeling a little bit lonely all the way over there?" Wash winked down at Indiana who immediately disregarded her pile of dinosaurs and ran over to her brother scrambling up onto his lap before he could stop her and nearly landing in a very vulnerable spot.

"Gwai-gwai long duh dong!" Jayne nearly lost his balance and half the contents of his brew.

He looked less than impressed as Indiana wiggled around until she was leaning back on his chest her head just tucked under his chin perfectly happy as she was.

"Do I look like a Gorram chair?" He grumbled down at her and moved her slightly to the side so that he could take a swig.

The seven year old just giggled and Wash punched a few buttons then slipped quietly out of the room.

"What star are we goin ta?" She asked staring out at the twinkling lights in the big black.

"We aint going to a star we going to a planet" Jayne corrected her "and hell if I know they all look the same to me".

"They go on forever and ever and ever..." Indiana was completely transfixed by the infiniteness and she squinted her eyes real hard trying to see the end.

"Where does it end?"

Jayne took another sip staring out into the black as well.

"It don't end, jus' keeps going"

"And there are even more planets and stars and even more people!" The little girl was completely amazed by this.

"Have you been to all of the other moons yet?"

"Have you been to the one where you can juggle Geece!"

"Quite askin' so many ruttin question you givin me a headache" The merc put the bottle down on the floor and lent back on the chair a little more closing his eyes the stresses of the day catching up with him.

There was nearly a whole minute of silence before it was broken again.

"What's her name?" Indiana wiggled onto her side resting her cheek on his shoulder and traced her fingers through his short beard, his eyebrows drew together but he didn't stop her.

"Who's name?" He mumbled opening one eye to briefly squint down at her.

"Ma's sister, the lady I gotta live with now..." She sighed

"'Liza" he wrinkled his nose as her fingers danced across it.

"'Liza" she repeated quietly "That's a nice name...is she nice?" Indiana curled her hands under her cheek and closed her own eyes, Jayne was actually pretty comfortable, he'd make a good bed.

"I wouldn't be sendin' ya there if she wasn't" The big man put both his arms behind his head and stretched right out his back creaking.

"But what if I don't like it there?" She asked sleepily and Jayne just grunted in reply his breaths becoming long whistling ones and the seven year old lay there for a while lulling in and out of consciousness when he finally started up with the snoring she slipped tiredly off him and made her way back to his bunk curling up in her makeshift bed and succumbed quickly to sleep.

"YOUR BOYFRIEND!" Indiana's voice carried right round the cargo bay making Simon look up from where he was seated in the passenger dorm lounge, his eyes caught the little girls who was sitting just at the top of the open ramp waiting patiently for her toe nails to dry in the sun, Kaylee had just painted them a sparkly pink and was now doing her own to match.

"Are you guys gonna get married?" She giggled turning her attention back to the mechanic who looked over to the doc to see if he'd heard, which thankfully he hadn't because that would of given him a stroke.

"We'll just have to wait and see..." She wiggled her eyebrows and Indie covered her mouth practically shaking with excitement, her and Kaylee had been having a great time just sitting in the sun doing all the girly stuff that she'd been missing out on.

They'd landed on Grayson in a small town of around 400 a few hours ago. It was a quiet rock most of it was lush with forest except for the small settlement that had cut out its own place. All the buildings were made from logs in the old style and there'd been quite a few folk walking by just to get a glance at Serenity.

Jayne, Zoe and Mal had gone off to get a few food supplies, and Wash was round the side helping with the refuelling, although now he was busy explaining the art of flying to a few very interested young men.

Kaylee stretched her now painted feet out rolling her overalls up to her knees and lent back on her hands, bathing in the warm rays.

"So you're telling me you aint never had a boyfriend?" she grinned down at Indiana who scrunched her face up and shook her head adamantly.

"No way! That's just gross!" she announced and Kaylee had to suppress her laughter.

"Well I'm sure Jayne will be happy to know you think that" the mechanic grinned.

"...Does Jayne have a girlfriend?" Indiana smiled crookedly squinting her eyes in the sun and Kaylee opened her mouth to answer but a voice from the bottom of the ramp interrupted.

"Wha' now?" He had just arrived back and was standing at the bottom of the ramp a sack in hand, Mal and Zoe were still coming up the road.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Indiana put her hand up to shield her eyes and her brother suddenly looked like he had a real sour taste in his mouth.

"And why would I be needing one of those for?" He pulled his green wide brimmed hat down and Indie shrugged.

"Who knows maybe Janye's future wife is right here on Grayson" Kaylee nudged the little girl who got real excited and the man in question got the complete opposite, giving the mechanic all sorts of threatening looks.

"You know I think there were some strawberries in 'ere" Jayne threw the sack over his shoulder "Guess I'll be enjoying them on me own" he stomped up the ramp past the two and Kaylee rolled her eyes.

"And runt, get that pink crap off ya feet!" He added and Indiana poked her tongue out making sure he weren't gonna turn round first.

"Now what are you two doing and why wasn't I invited?" Mal cheerfully announced his arrival, Zoe had gone to fetch her husband who was entertaining a growing group of town folk that wanted to know all about his exploits in space which he was more than happy to divulge to them.

"Boys don't wear nail polish!" Indiana giggled and Mal shared a smile with Kaylee.

"They do on some planets" He winked and continued pass them before Indiana could answer that one.


	7. Chapter 7

**ALRIGHT SPACE MONKEYS!**

**Here's another piece of pie! Please Read and Review, this would be greatly appreciated! ;)**

**Also very sorry for the bad Grammar! Although my Mama told me a million times, I know I ain't No genius!**

**And I think I've decided where I'm going with this story! And I can tell you the path ahead will be bumpy and twisted...o yes...o yes.**

**But anywho on with the show!**

**:)**

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><p>"Stand still!" Jayne barked at his little sister, ten minutes earlier he'd found her playing at the bottom of the ramp which he specifically told her not to do, she was covered head to toe in dust and dirt and he was so livid with her for not listening to him that he couldn't even form proper sentences to give her a good tongue lashing.<p>

Instead he marched back up the ramp unwound the hose aimed it at his filth covered sibling and let loose a torrent of water ignoring her shrieks of protest as the dirt was unceremoniously washed away.

The seven year old burst into tears and spun round the stream of water hitting her back, clothes completely soaked through and stuck to her skin like glue.

"I dam well told ya not ta leave the ship!" Jayne was furious and he dropped the hose and turned the lever off.

"Can't leave you alone for one Gorram minute!" He kicked the hose away from the entrance and stomped down the ramp stopping just short of her.

"Look at me girly!" He ordered and Indiana slowly turned around her eyes downcast and emitting quiet sobs.

"You got ten seconds ta quit blubbering and look me in the eye" there was no let up in his furious mood, not even as his seven year old sister stood shivering and sobbing in front of him.

She sucked in a few hiccupping breaths and lifted her chin meeting his angry glare, her hair plastered around her face, he looked madder than she'd ever seen him look before.

"I told you not to leave the ship" He lowered his voice real low and Indiana swallowed the lump in the back of her throat her bottom lip trembling.

"I-I'm s-sorry" She could barely get it out and Jayne only got madder.

"Sorry ain't gonna stop someone from grabbin' ya!" he glowered down purposely wanting to scare her some and it worked cause her eyes widened in fear, Jayne hadn't gone to school much so he weren't very learned in that department but what he was well educated in was survival, knowing how to spot a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation, (which thanks to Mal was constantly finding him).

"You want that ta Gorram happen to ya? Cause by the way ya goin' it Gorram will!"

When he was already Indiana's age he could already shoot a target fifty metres away, he could assemble nearly any gun that was in front of him and he could tell ya every part off the top of his head. And he always listened to his folk when they told him not to do something. His Pa made sure of it.

He knew what kinda folk exsisted out in the verse and he knew to stay well clear of most of 'em. So when he saw his kid sister playing at the bottom of the ramp without a care in the world it bout nearly gave him a heart attack, especially considering they were on a moon he knew next to nothing about, and although at first glances it may appear to be a sleepy quiet village he was well aware how deceiving that could really be. Jayne had heard horror stories about settlements like this one, visitors getting taken, murdered, tortured, raped...it weren't that uncommon. These places were even subject to raids by slavers which gave the big man shivers as he remembered an unexpected ambush that he found himself in not too long ago.

A few months back they were docked at a rock that wasn't too far out from the core planets so it were near almost civilized like and it made the ambush even more startling. There'd been plenty'a folk wandering bout the markets which is what Jayne found himself doin' only he weren't looking at all the shiny crap he was just keepin' an eye on Kaylee and the Moonbrain, the two wanted to stretch their legs and Mal would only allow it if Jayne accompanied them, which took some begging from Kaylee.

They had been wandering for nearly an hour, them getting all excited over what looked like junk and him just glaring down at the tops of their heads and moving them along if they were straying and just as they were turning back towards Serenity the place was hit by slavers, it happened so fast Jayne barely had time to pull out his gun as shots rang out through the market place and folks started screaming, by the time Alliance arrived the damage had already been done, most everything had been torched or looted and a whole lotta folk were missing or shot.

Jayne had kept Kaylee and River safe by shoving them inside some barrels then let his other girls do the talking, there was a scar on his chest and shoulder where he'd taken a few bullets, but hell he would'a taken more, Slavers were nearly as bad as Reavers, he didn't even want to think about what happened to all the folk that got taken that day, most of whom were woman and children.

"I-I don't want ta git grabbed!" Indiana squeaked her eyes filling with moisture again and Jayne felt momentary inkling of guilt, Mal and Zoe had gone back into town to grab a few more things and he weren't needed so he had taken the opportunity to work out in the cargo bay and had been so focused on pressing weights he'd forgotten to keep an eye on his wandering sister.

"Well next time I tell ya ta not do somethin' you dam well listen dong ma?" He softened but only slightly and she quickly nodded.

"I will, I will!" She promised and he was satisfied that he'd scared her enough in fact now he was more concerned about getting her warm because she was starting to go slightly blue and if anyone on board saw her current state he'd probably get spaced.

"Come on then 'fore ya catch ya death" He quickly ushered her back inside and towards his bunk making sure not to bump into anyone on the way, thankfully no one was around he jumped down the ladder reaching back up and lifting the shivering seven year old down and pulled the latch closed.

Indiana held her arms up and he peeled the soaked jersey thing over her head and flicked it unceremoniously into the corner, "Git the rest off" He turned and started searching round for a clean towel when he finally found one hidden away at the bottom of a draw Indie had stripped down to her underwear and was looking rather sheepish with her arms crossed tightly across her chest, Jayne just gave her a questioning glare and held out the towel she didn't move and he grunted impatiently.

"You can't see me naked!" She squealed her cheeks now tinged slightly pink and he just snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I'm ya Gorram brother, I ain't looking!" he thrust the towel at her and she grabbed it and wrapped it quickly round her body.

"Besides ya scrawnier than a rutttin stick, there aint nothing there ta hide" he snorted sitting down on his bed and kicked his shoes off.

Indiana huffed loudly and walked over to her bag grabbing out a pair of black tights and singlet top than began the process of getting dried and clothed which was proving to be challenging with the lack of privacy

"Girly I ain't dam well looking now hurry up and git ya clothes on" Jayne rolled his eyes and lay back on his bed staring up at the ceiling only when a cold hand touched his arm did he look away.

"Aint you got something warmer?" He sat up noticing the goosebumps that still occupied her stick like arms and she shook her head, "I don't have many clothes" she shrugged and Jayne muttered under his breath pushing up off the bed and brushing her aside.

"Well ya can wear something' of mine, but don't be wrecking it" he pulled an old jersey his Ma had knit for him a few years back from his draw wandering for a second why his sister didn't have one of her own. He pulled it over her head rolling the sleeves up til her hands were visible, she were basically swimming in it.

He then fished out a matching orange knitted hat and pulled it over her head tying the strings securely under her chin, she grinned up at him and he patted her head satisfied that she'd be warm enough.

"That all you got in there" He gestured towards the bag.

"I 'ad a few more things but I didn't have enough time to pack 'em" She looked a little put out.

"Whadda ya think's gonna happen to 'em?" She asked looking like she didn't really wanna know the answer to that.

"Trash most likely" Jayne shrugged and sat back on his bed pressing his back against the wall and closed his eyes, praying for some peace and quiet.

Indiana stared angrily into space "I hate them _gou shi _authorities" She crossed her arms furiously "Stupid _Hundans" _She grit her teeth and Jayne flicked his eyes open seeing his prays were going unheard.

"I'll clean ya mouth out wit' soap next time I hear them words from you" He warned luckily for her he was experiencing a lack of energy right at the moment otherwise he would have just gone straight ahead and done it.

The seven year old pouted unhappily.

"You swear all the time!" She protested.

"I'm allowed. You aint." Jayne narrowed his eyes at her.

"That ain't fair!" She stamped her foot down and Jayne groaned feeling a headache coming on.

"Well life aint Gorram fear!" He lent his head back and stared up at the ceiling his face tightening "Why you always gotta argue with everythin' I dam well say." It weren't really a question more of an exasperated statement.

"I'm bored! Can I at least go see what River's doing I promise I won't go outside" She put a hand on the ladder waiting for permission but when her brother said no she moaned angrily.

The skinny Cobb stomped loudly over to her mattress and plonked down on it tucking her knees easily underneath her brother's oversized jersey and roughly grabbed her newly mended teddy bear.

"I ain't no baby so I don't needa be treated like one" She threw the toy at the wall and crossed her arms unhappily.

"Yea well news flash you ain't no grown up either, and if you ain't a baby then don't be throwin' tantrums like one" Jayne scowled at the roof, real sick of her whinging.

"Yea well...Mama let me do stuff! She let me cuss and go play outside, whenever I wanted!" Indiana challenged not willing to give up her fight.

The big man seethed at the thought of his sister been left to wander round Cassidy Nook, the place had seen better days and it was a miracle she hadn't gotten into trouble.

He tried not to think of his Ma at all because everytime he did it made him furious, how could she even think about whoring herself out let alone actually doing it? Invitin' strangers into the house and puttin' his sister in even more danger. He just couldn't understand how someone could care so little about their own child that they'd give up been a parent! When he were growing up his Ma and Pa thought the world of him, he just couldn't come to terms with his Ma's change in thinkin' I mean sure Indiana had annoyed the heck out of him since he'd laid eyes on her but he a soft spot for her, deep deep down.

He was aware that after his Pa died his Ma got into a depression and taken to the bottle but he thought she was better, she was always so strong and proud, she certainly acted that way every time he'd visited.

The most maddening thing however was the fact that he hadn't even noticed, when he was last back he didn't even notice she was still drinking and he weren't even curious as to why his seven year old sister was always so unhealthy like, when his Ma's letters started becoming less frequent he didn't think twice bout it and when they stopped all together he didn't make much of an effort to find out why.

Guilt clouded his head shooting through his conscious, a foreign feeling he aint felt for a long while now.

"And I ain't stupid either like everyone thinks!" Indiana let her legs fall flat on the mattress her sock clad feet just touching the floor.

"I knew that Mama was a whore just like all the woman who work at The Black Swan!" She knew that would get Jayne's attention and it did, real quick in fact.

"How do ya know bout The Swan?" He asked hesitantly, that whore house was a back alley dwelling that operated under the radar so it weren't well known more of a black market business that most folk who knew what was good for them stayed well clear of, there were plenty'a other places in Cassidy Nook to choose from. The Black Swan catered to men with a more acquired taste...

"Cause the man that owns it use ta come round and try'n make Ma whore there" Indiana stated in an obvious manner, "He was real mad cause Ma kept sayin' No."

Jayne growled real low "Don't be using words you don't know the meanin'a".

"I know what whoring is" Indiana rolled her eyes. "It's when a man comes and has some sexin' and then he gives the lady some money"

This bout nearly hit Jayne for six and he was straight up on his feet "How you know that!" He stared down at her highly disturbed at his sister's not so lack of knowledge.

"One of the older kids at school told me, they said their Parents were getting split cause their Daddy kept payin for sexn' with Mama they was saying that Mama was a whore and a home wrecker" She repeated angrily remember'n that day quite clearly.

She were playin' in the school yard and a boy from the older classes came over and pushed her on the ground and told her bout her Mama and said it were all her fault that he didn't have no more daddy anymore.

Tears prickled in her eyes and Indiana bit the inside of her lip refusing to let that stupid boys taunts get to her.

Jayne looked real hard at his little sister who squirmed finding the lack of response from her big brother unsettling.

"What else ya know?" He finally broke the silence crossing his arms tensely, feeling a bout of nervousness come over him although you wouldn't a known by the way his face looked.

"Ummmm that's all..." Indiana shrugged but by the way she were looking curiously up at him it weren't all "Wellllll actually..." She picked some dirt from under her finger nails mulling something over and and several lines appeared on Jayne's forehead.

"...ummm I was jus' wanderin' what sex'n actually was?" Jayne thought he was gonna have a heart attack the second those words left her mouth, his eyes opened up real wide, oxygen suddenly became no longer a necessity and for once in his life the merc found himself rendered speechless.

"I mean" Indiana continued on unaware of her brothers deteriorating condition "I know a man and a woman do sex'n together...and..." the seven year old looked thoughtfully up at her brother "...it must be fun cause Mama was alway's sex'n with men in her room an' they looked real happy when they was leavin'" She gasped and Jayne flinched "Is it like a game?" She lit up thinking she were onto something.

Jayne still couldn't believe what he was hearin' he thought he were gonna have a brain spasm and die any second now and he was kinda hoping for one...anything to get him out of this very small uncomfortably hot room...

"...Well it must be a game! And the men they keep winning so they're real happy!...Wait that means Mama's not very good at playin' sex'n..." The little girl's brows pulled together "OH! I think that's why she keeps havin' men over, so she can keep practicing! Indiana grinned proudly and the big man just sat down heavily on the bed his hands rubbing nervously on his pants and looking at the kid like she'd grown a third arm.

"But then...why do they give Mama money?" She frowned realizing something didn't add up.

"And why would you go to jail for just play'n a game?..." She looked thoughtfully to her brother who was now looking toward the ladder contemplating his getaway a thin sheen of sweet on his brow thankfully though Mal's voice crackled through the intercom by way of miracle and Jayne had never been so grateful for his captain in his whole dam life!


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok space monkies!**

**Sorry for the slow update got distracted with life...dam life.**

** So the next chapters will all be RATED M so you are warned. They are not for the faint of heart and will deal with subject matter that is not for young readers!**

** Shit is bout to get real folks...**

**(Also apologies for the mind numbingly shit grammar, I will try better in the future. That is all.) **

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><p>"Jayne?" Inara took a step back slightly shocked at seeing the large man standing in her doorway usually the only people who came to visit were Kaylee, River or Mal, she knew straight away it weren't the later because the person had actually knocked.<p>

"'Nara" He nodded quietly and stood awkwardly in the threshold.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked hesitantly and the big man scratched the back of his neck and grimaced at the floor.

"I um need you to talk to the runt" He shifted uncomfortably and the companion raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate.

This was only met by silence and when it had stretched on for too long she finally spoke up.

"Talk to her about what exactly?"

A pained look came over Jayne's face and he cleared his throat, "bout ah...bout the birds'n the trees or whatever the hell it is" He mumbled crossing his arms abruptly and it took Inara a few seconds to work out what the merc was talking about and when she realized she had to put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing, which annoyed him even more and he clenched his jaw, biting his tongue.

"Of course I will, please come in!" She turned and disappeared inside leaving Jayne standing in the doorway.

"I'll make us something tea" Her voice could be heard somewhere in the shuttle and Jayne groaned he hadn't actually planned on making chit-chat with the companion but apparently that weren't to be.

The big man stepped through the doorway pulling it closed behind him and got tangled for a moment in some hanging curtains. The shuttle was decked out all rich looking and smelling and there was some quiet background music, it was a world away from the rest of the ship and what he were used too and Jayne looked round feeling real out of place like a bull in a china store.

"Please take a seat" Inara was already sitting across the room on a large deep-red lounger preparing a pot of tea.

Jayne made his way over and slowly sat down on the delicate looking furnishing his eyes darting around the interior like a nervous school boy, which only added to Inara's amusement.

The dark haired woman handed him a cup which looked ridiculously small in his large hands and he held it nervously, she took a small sip of her own and placed the cup onto the small table in front of them.

"So" She turned towards him and rested her hands on her knees looking completely at ease and making Jayne even more uncomfortable.

"'Fore you say anything 'Nara, I just gotta say that this ain't what I want to be hap'n, ain't my Gorram idea." Jayne kept his eyes down watching the leaves float round in his cup, lines appearing on his forehead as he spoke. "But the girls too dam nosy for her own dam good!" He rambled on and the companion waited politely.

"See she got ta talk'n bout Ma and ah her line o'work" Inara nodded knowingly "Tell's me she knows Ma's a Whore and makes out like she knows what that dam well is...anyways to cut it short the runt ain't got a clue and now she's gone convincing herself that ahh...that um"

"Sex" Inara filled in the blank and Jayne flinched.

"Yea that...'that's' a Gorram game!" Jayne looked up at the companion who was trying to mask a smile, she had never seen the Merc so lost for words before, half the vulgar things she heard Jayne say involved sex, or motioned towards it and now he were struggling to even say the word.

"Now I can't have the kid wondering round out there believing that _go se_, ain't nothing goods gonna come of it, she gone git herself into a whole heap'a trouble" He tensed up a little.

"I'd rather she had no thoughts 'bout any of this business, but what she were say'n ta me was downright unsettling" Jayne growled and fidgeted with the small cup turning it in his hands.

"I just need ya ta set her straight is all" He threw his head back and drained the cups entire contents in one easy mouthful and sat it back on the table.

Inara looked thoughtfully at him extremely impressed by Jayne's genuine concern which she didn't even know he had in him til now.

"You don't want to talk to her yourself?" She encouraged and Jayne shook his head adamantly.

"I ain't got No dealings in this, she's ma baby sister and I-I can't be telling her, jus' downright won't. That's a woman's job to be doing and I figured since you was a Wh-Companion and all" He quickly corrected himself. "Well you got fancy training in it all'n ya just make it sound so proper like"

Inara mulled over what he'd just said and decided against arguing as to why he thought it was a 'woman's job' exactly...she could see that the big man was already very troubled with the whole situation and she didn't really want to upset him any further.

"Well what would you like me to tell her then?" She took another sip of tea and Jayne's shoulders rose and fell the corner of his lip twitching.

"Hell I dunno, I guess just the basics and that's it." He rubbed his palms on his trousers anxiously.

"You don't want to be present?" She put her cup down giving it one last go at trying to persuade Jayne but he gave her a look that said it all.

"Well I'm free all night so just bring her in wh-"

"-I'll go git her now" Jayne interrupted standing abruptly and nearly knocked the table over he grumbled an apology and quickly made to leave the room not even waiting for a reply from the companion who couldn't help but laugh at the Merc as he again got tangled in the hanging curtains.

Inara was still a little shocked herself that Jayne had come to her with a topic that was so sensitive, it made her think just how thoughtful the man could really be. She quickly packed away the tea set and straitened the cushions, in all honesty she felt quite very honoured to be the one that he'd chosen to come to.

Meanwhile Jayne had made it to his bunk in record time and hollered down for Indiana who appeared below looking slightly confused.

"Git up here" He yelled and she slowly climbed the ladder.

"But you said under no circumstances was I to leave your bunk" She repeated back what he'd said to her earlier on and put her hands on her hips looking up at him matter-of-factly.

"Yea well I changed my mind now hurry up 'Nara's waitin" He grabbed her wrist and started back towards her shuttle the seven year old stumbling along beside him.

"Why are we going to see Inara?" The little girl nearly tripped a few times as they marched through the Mess and Simon gave the man a disapproving stare, Jayne was so focused on getting to his destination he didn't even have time to insult the Doctor or his Sister as they passed by.

"WE aren't going to see her. YOU are" he stomped down the catwalk and stopped at her door finally releasing his grip on Indiana who crossed her arms clearly unimpressed with him.

"Now ahh you just listen to what she gotta say dong ma?" He turned to her and patted the top of her head nervously.

"Why aren't you coming in?" She looked up at her big brother puzzled-like and he couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with the little girl.

"Am I in trouble?" Her eyes went big and a feeling of unease went through her.

"No ya aint in Gorram trouble Nara just wanna talk to ya is all" He banged on the door and took a step back his hand going unconsciously to his little sisters shoulder. When the companion appeared she looked completely relaxed and smiled warmly down at the little girl who drew back into her brother feeding off his nervous energy.

"Indiana just who I wanted to see, please come in" She stood aside and the seven year hesitated and looked up at Jayne who nodded and nudged her unwillingly forward, all he wanted to do was pick her up and march her back to his bunk and shut her in there for the next ten years.

"There are some sweets over on the table" She winked down at the child who at the mention of treats lit up instantly forgetting her shyness and quickly disappeared through the curtains. The big man watched her disappear and he didn't know why but a small sadness crept into him.

"Don't worry Jayne she'll be fine" Inara turned to the Merc who only managed a tense nod and quickly turned leaving before he changed his mind.

He needed to be doing something, keeping his mind distracted, it was a tossup between cleaning his girls and banging his head against a wall, safe to say he decided to go with the first option...although the second one was always on the cards.

Every single part from the biggest to the smallest was laid out neatly on the table in front of Jayne, rows of silver trophies, each piece polished so clean it were gleaming like a mirror.

Jayne spat on his rag and rubbed it over the spotless barrel of Vera for the millionth time, behind him Simon and Wash were preparing dinner and Kaylee and River were over in the corner gossiping bout somethin' he didn't care much for he'd already yelled twice at the two ta keep it down.

Someone entered the room and he tensed up his heart drumming along real fast but when he saw in Vera's reflection it was just Zoe he relaxed a little and continued on with his new task of reassembling all his girls, which to most would be a mammoth undertaking but Jayne could do it easy enough with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back.

In the corner of his eye he could see River drifting closer in a manner that made him feel all creepified and he sped up not wanting the crazy gettin' her hands on his arsenal. It was bad enough with the knife, guns would be a whole 'nother story...

"Like a jigsaw" Her voice made it to him first and he didn't look up hoping if he just ignored her she'd go away.

"Pieces all fit. Finish the puzzle see the picture. Collect a prize..." The teenager took a seat opposite and Jayne assembled his last two guns at record pace.

"This aint a ruttin' game" He glared over at her and started packing his girls back into the case glancing wearily at the Tam who was watching him curiously.

"Each has their own rightful place on the shelf, no arguments to be made because He knows the system. Can't jump ship now everything already locked into place...girl cannot flap her wings and change the future...wouldn't be right. Turning, turning everything is turning and running things over and making them flat and the girl make the turning st-"

"-Gorram it Moonbrain! Jayne cut in.

"Why don't ya go tell that pansy ass brothers of yours cause I couldn't give a rats ass! You dam well ruined ma peace git goin 'fore my boot does the talkin'!" He slammed the lid of the case down and made sure to lock it tight.

"His head was too loud there was no peace to be ruined" River didn't so much as flinch at the Merc's words or budge from her seat and Jayne growled.

"Keep the hell outta ma head crazy, ain't a place for little girls to be visit'n" He smiled suggestively and the Teen frowned a little her and looked to her brother just over Jayne's shoulder, the oldest Tam was listening amusedly to one of Wash's stories while watching over a large pot that contained the night's dinner. Zoe was shaking her head toward her animated husband suppressing a laugh that threatened, Wash would always be her weak spot.

"Won't be smiling soon...no one will." River's forehead creased with lines and a pained look came over her face, "she's going to go away now, before it gets too loud" Jayne narrowed his eyes and watched the Teen retreat back into the corner with Kaylee.

"Needa put a Gorram leash on 'er" The big man muttered pushing his chair back with a loud screech and closed his eyes trying to block out the chatter all round him.

"Hello Jayne" Inara's hand lightly grazed his shoulder and he nearly fall backwards off his seat startled at her sudden appearance.

"Didn't mean to scare you" she smiled down and the Merc swore and straightened up his heart pounding in his eardrums.

"Where's the runt?" His eyes darted round the room but then spotted her over sitting with Kaylee and River her face lit up in animation as she spoke excitedly to them.

If it were even possible his heart sped up more and he glanced nervously toward the companion afraid to ask.

"Everything went fine" She replied calmly "You have a very intelligent and inquisitive sister" Inara pulled a seat a few chairs down placing a red bound book she were carrying in front of her.

Across the room Kaylee was watching Indiana speechlessly as the seven year old happily shared her newly acquired knowledge, River didn't seem that interested.

"Aint that the weirdest thing ever!" The little girl finally finished and all the Mechanic could do was put her hand over her mouth and try and prevent herself from breaking out into hysterics.

"M-Maybe you sh-should go share with your brother sweetie" She only just managed to get out her eyes glistening at the thought of this.

The young Cobb skipped over to the table and came to a halt beside the big man who was looking down at her uncertainly.

Indiana touched a finger to his arm and he flinched crossing them across his chest gruffly.

"You lied to me" she stated raising an eyebrow and copied his movements.

He shrugged his shoulders uncaringly "So what, I lie bout lots of things"

"You told me that babies come from factories and if I was bad Mama would take me back!" She gave him a please explain look and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yea...well...you know the truth now so it don't matter what I told ya" He cleared his throat felling like a lump was stuck in it.

Indiana put her hands on her hips looking like she was only just getting started. "So from now on I don't have to believe or listen to anything you tell me anymore." She smiled sweetly up at her brother who immediately took the bait.

"You sassing me girl?" He lent down towards her in an intimidating manner but this didn't affect the seven year old in the slightest.

"Watcha gonna do?" She challenged straight back "Send me back to the FACTORY?" She raised an eyebrow and Inara had to excuse herself from the table, going to join Kaylee in the corner who was bent double in fits of laughter.

Jayne sat back in his chair biting his tongue trying to hold back the torrent of abuse that definitely weren't for child's ears.

"That means I don't have to go stay with my stupid Aunt in Roydon!" She slapped a hand down on his knee triumphantly and grinned a toothy smile at her brother oblivious to his current state.

When the look on his face didn't so much as twitch she rolled her eyes and clambered up onto his lap, facing the Merc.

"Fine but you have to come visit me at least once a week" She crossed her arms again.

He looked down at the little person on his lap trying to remain relaxed his top lip curling up "Month" he waged all though there would be no bargaining.

The little girl nodded "Once a month than..." She murmured than her face suddenly lit up. "Did you know that all women menstruate once a month as well!"

There was a clang over in the kitchen as Wash nearly dropped half the food him and Simon had been preparing.

"Girly I got things I gotta be doing" Jayne was instantly up placing her on the chair he was once sitting on, the conversation had gone on longer than he was comfortable with.

"Do something useful and get the table sorted" He picked up the case of guns and quickly left the room.

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><p><strong>Abrupt ending. Please Read and Review! :)<strong>


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